Pentax to announce a 645D red lacquer limited edition camera

Update: the limited edition Pentax 645D is now official. Here are the official images and the press release:

GOLDEN, CO. (July 13, 2011)…PENTAX Imaging Company has announced it will offer a limited edition 645D camera kit produced to celebrate the PENTAX 645D being named Camera Grand Prix Japan 2011 “Camera of the Year.” This limited edition camera features an elegant, lacquer-finished body. The components of this unique kit that will be available on a very limited basis include:

• PENTAX 645D Japan camera body
• Leather Strap 645D Japan O-ST123
• Body Mount Cap 645D Japan
• Center-Spot-Matte Focusing Screen DS-80
• Specially designed paulownia-wood packaging
PENTAX is planning built-to-order production of this model with a minimum four month delivery period from the date each order is placed.
First announced in June 2010, the PENTAX 645D is a high-performance medium-format digital SLR camera combining super-high-resolution digital images with approximately 40 effective megapixels that offers exceptional reliability and superb operability. The camera was selected Camera GP Japan 2011 “Camera of the Year” for its array of original, outstanding features including a large CCD sensor, and a dependable, dust-proof, weather-resistant body that operates in temperatures as low as –10°C.

This is was the original post before the official announcement:

Pentax is about to release a new 645D red-lacquer limited edition camera:

perhaps red is just a good color. ferrari could have chosen a different color right?

Samuel

red is also the colour of pentax logo

big_glass

Not so keen on the finish, but at least it doesn’t have the Ferrari badge, which is almost as desperate as a Lamborghini laptop. Actually, no, it’s worse, because a Hasselblad should stand on its own merits and shouldn’t be sold to anyone who wears Ferrari clothing.

http://iso3200.net elkarrde

Probably Camera of the Year edition – just like brown-gold K10D Camera of the Year special edition.

Zdp-189

I’m waiting for the Nanoblocks version.

asdasd

i am waiting for useful version

Harryson

When camera companies only “improve” a product by changing its color, the end of that company is near. It’s a shame. I’ve used Pentax cameras for years and have enjoyed it. But this is getting ridiculous. I’m glad I made the switch to another brand.

Les

Can you name a camera company that hasn’t made a limited edition?

I’m willing to bet that the brand you switched to has made at least a dozen limited edition models.

KnaP

Hasn’t Leica been doing that for year?

Mike

Canon just released some coloured Rebel’s. So that must mean Canon’s demise is close too!

big_glass

Who said this was a new model aiming to improve on the existing one? It’s clearly a limited edition, just like the K-series Grand Prix from the past. Or all those limited edition Leicas. Or Nikons for that matter.

Florin

It’s not an improvement, it’s only a limited edition.From what you’re saying it means that if Hasselblad made that ferrari edition, their end is also near?
People stop making this company look bad!Pentax are great quality cameras.
& beside that, there are still many brands left to make fun of (wich they deserve) if you really have this NEED of “killing” something.

Samuel

oh you mean brands like Ricoh lol

Anonymus Maximus

As a resident of Dubai I have to state that here no one cares one bit about ared “red” version Limited or not.

A proper collerters Version should be GOLD !!!

pooh

I wonder if it’ll show the ugly silvery magnesium underneath when it wears, if anyone ever take the trouble to actually use it.

http://tumbleweed-092.livejournal.com Slow Gin

Nice finish on the most ridiculously ugly camera ever made!

Tavi

Similar ignorant comments here. For the info: 645 D was voted camera of the year 2011, so if you think is useless, you’re definitively in minority, the lacquer-finished body is urushi: “the process requires a number of painstaking steps, such as pasting many different types of silver leaves on a black-lacquer base — as if creating a collage of torn paper — and applying an overcoat of paint in a rich Bordeaux-wine tone. This sophisticated, meticulously handcrafted lacquer technique using natural urushi and silver leaves means that each camera body will be slightly different, ensuring the camera will be a one-of-a-kind, unique possession for the photographer”
Quote by Pal Jensen on PF.

Octav

Artur Kozłowski

oooohhh, I feel I’m comin’… keep going, PLEASE!

Mark

Here we go again.. Pentax please.

Mike

If it didn’t say “steal me” before, it certainly does now. Maybe they should put arrows on the neck strap pointing to the camera body. Instead of “Pentax” on the strap, it should say “$10,000 camera here”.

Distanted

Normally, I’m a basic black kind of guy, but I kinda like this. Anyway, it’s way out of my league, as I’m sure it is for many of the haters.

bob

Can you say “Hello Kitty” limited edition next?

First Pentax decides to set up a “boutique” at Willoughby’s (opened and closed), then it comes out with the PS sensor ILC, and now this. Just who is at the helm over there, and what has he/she been drinking? Maybe that’s why the photo division sold for $124MM.

Alex

You don’t understand words like “exclusive”, do you? This camera IS exclusive, unlike regular red Hasselblads

Artur Kozłowski

I think that the “Camera of the Year” is not selling that well. Hence this eye-grabbing candy, duly shown on all the photo websites.

Alex

So, we have a camera that sells so well Pentax had trouble getting it on the global market. We have the same camera, gaining an important prize. And we have Pentax celebrating this, by an exclusive, hand painted (with an exotic process) Limited edition of the said camera.
Yet you somehow managed to draw the most unlikely conclusion…

Artur Kozłowski

You’re probably right. Just didn’t seem that a MF camera, worth about 10 000$ would be selling (very) well…

Alex

Why not? At $10.000 it’s the most affordable DMF camera (with the same or a similar sensor – not talking about some old 22MP Mamiya)…

Tavi

Geez, you are supposed to be interested in photography! How can you compare Ferrari Red with this Urushi red? Are you color blind?
Oh, I remember, Pentax = junk, ( just ’cause most of the commercials talk Can(Ni)con)